There is nothing like the announcement of a new hiking trail to grab my attention.
Not that I am usually in a position to grab my backpack and bolt out the door immediately, but it does sit prominently in the back of my mind, beckoning to me, and waiting not-so-patiently for a walking window to open.
Luckily, the Grand Cliff Top Walk in the picturesque NSW Blue Mountains only needs a small window…
Amid much fanfare, media attention and a throng of posing politicians, the Grand Cliff Top Walk (GCTW) opened in early 2024. This hiking trail had been on the drawing board for a large number of years and finally it was complete. Unfortunately, straight after the big reveal, the region experienced two solid weeks of rain and many sections of the path were undone with land slips and flooding. These are slowly being repaired and four months later there were still a number of closures and detours in place.
Located on the land of the Gundungurra People, the GCTW can be walked in either direction – either in one big day or split over two shorter days. To enjoy the beauty of this path in a relaxed manner, taking in all the views and most of the small branching paths, I chose two days. Don’t let the short distance fool you. What it lacks in kilometres, it definitely over compensates with endless descents and ascents.
Here are the Nuts and Bolts of Day 1 of GCTW:
- Distance: Officially: 11km, adding on walking to/from the train stations, more like 12.5km.
- Time: Allow 5-6hrs to enjoy all the lookouts and side paths down to various waterfalls etc.
- Rating: The official National Parks and Wildlife rating is 3 out of 5 or moderate. Some sections of the path would be closer to a ‘hard’ rating due to the steepness of long stretches of steps and stairs.
- Terrain: The track hugs the edge of the escarpment with – as mentioned above – endless ups and downs, steps and stairs down into hidden gullies and then up again.
- Path: The path underfoot is well formed. There are boardwalks, bridges and wide sandstone steps. It can get a bit damp and slippery if there has been recent rain, so take it steady in those sections.
- Mobile Phone Coverage: Yes, plenty as you are not that far from civilisation.
- Water: Take water with you as there are not many places to top up.
- Sun Protection: Wear a hat and sunscreen. Even though there is plenty of shade on the path, the Australian sun remains unforgiving.
- Bities: This area would be prime snake country in summertime. Be careful where you step. Also take bug spray if you are walking in warmer temperatures.
- Bushfires: Be careful with any cigarettes or naked flame. You are walking in a very heavily treed area with thick bush close to the path. It would be difficult to make a quick getaway.
- Toilets: You can divert off the track to access public toilets in some sections of the walk that are close to popular lookouts. All facilities are available at Conservation Hut.
General Comments:
- You can take a very flexible approach to this path – start and finish at any access point and walk it in either direction. I walked westwards from Wentworth Falls.
- Waymarking and Signage: As I mentioned in the introduction, the path was curtailed and diverted in a number of places and it did take some navigating off the path and back onto it again – to the point where I did miss a small section of the official trail because I couldn’t find the black cockatoo waymarking sign. Once back on the path, signage was sufficient.
- I set out on a frosty Monday morning in June. It was pleasant to be walking in the quiet, listening to the birdlife greeting the day. I imagine this path would be very busy on weekends.
- Be careful on the various timber boardwalks as they can be quite slippery if the conditions are icy.
- Interestingly, at the start of Day 1, you follow what’s called ‘Darwin’s Walk’. Apparently naturalist, Charles Darwin, explored this area in 1836. I can only imagine how boggled he was by the difference and diversity of our flora and fauna.
- The views over the valleys and surrounding escarpments are truly spectacular. A thick fog lay over the land giving everything an ethereal look. You have plenty of opportunity to take in the valley views from every angle by wandering down the numerous side tracks to lookouts, small and large.
- Every now and then the path pops you up into suburbia. It is quite a contrast to the thick bush although, the views of elegant, old houses are equally enjoyable.
- A highlight of this section is the side trip and steep descent down to the Empress Falls. It is a very steep, but well worth the effort.
Top Tips for this Track:
- Download the National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) app and download the map of this walk for use offline. It will help with navigating around the detours.
- Also check the NPWS website prior to walking for an update on track closures and other issues.
- And NPWS run free guided tours during school holidays. This would be a great way to learn more about the native flora and fauna of this area.
- Conservation Hut is a great spot to break your walk. There is a café there which is open seven days, toilets and picnic tables. Carparking is also available here if you want to call it quits for the day and get a lift back to town. It is all located about 300m off the main track.
- Base yourself at Katoomba (or another town in the Mountains) and use the public bus and train system to travel to the start of each day, and then back again to your accommodation.
- Hiking shoes or joggers are suitable for this trail. You just need footwear with good grip or tread.
Puffing back up to Leura Train Station my legs were tired and they felt like they had had a very good workout. My heart and soul were still dancing though, and both full and happy with all the beautiful things I had seen on Day 1. Time to kick back and rest up in preparation for Day 2 tomorrow.
What is your favourite two-day walk?
The Basics
What: Consider basing yourself at Katoomba, Leura or Wentworth Falls. Accommodation is plentiful and significantly cheaper if you can travel outside of the weekends.
Where: Roughly in the middle of the Blue Mountains, approximately two hours drive West of Sydney, NSW.
When: You could walk this path anytime of the year. I would avoid really wet weather due to the risk of slips and falls. If you can walk during the week, you will avoid the worst of the crowds too.
Why: For some serious green therapy and a complete immersion in the Aussie bush.
How: To access public transport – buses and trains – an Opal Card is the best option to tap on and off. They can be purchased at most train stations and many newsagents.
Who: A decent level of fitness is needed to handle the steps and stairs, and would increase your enjoyment levels.
Related Posts: Another gobsmackingly beautiful walk is the multi-day Bondi to Manly path. The views are completely different and similarly glorious. Here is Day 1.
Related Blogs: Caro Ryan, a Blue Mountains local and outdoor specialist, is equally enthusiastic about this track and the delicious food she found to fuel her hike.
Read About It: If you are interested in more opportunities to hit the trails in this area, there are a large number of guidebooks available describing the many and various walking tracks in the Blue Mountains. For a lighter and more historical read, grab a copy of Blinky Bill (a cartoon koala), written by Dorothy Wall. Although a New Zealander, Wall spent much of her life living, writing and drawing in Australia including at the Blue Mountains village of Warrimoo.
#bushwalk #travelinspo #shortwalks #leura #wentworthfalls #australianflora #bluemountains #greatoutdoors #heartstarter #nationalparks #grandclifftopwalk #katoomba #daywalks #waterfalls #destinationnsw #lookouts #valleyviews #multidayhikes
Life...one big adventure 
Oh my goodness, I just love the photos where you’re above the clouds looking down on them! And the waterfalls. So pretty!
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Yep, that bank of fog really added to the other-worldy feel of the walk. Asa you can see, I couldn’t stop taking photos! 🙂
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The waterfall look amazing.
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Looked and sounded amazing. You can’t beat the sound of bubbling and cascading water. Thanks for reading.
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Wow, so nice.
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sounds like a lovely couple of days walking in the value Mountains. It’s great that you can get to accommodation too.
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Other than the detours, it really is a special path. Maybe you should come for a stroll too? 🙂
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Not that I will ever be doing any of your walks Mel, but I always enjoy reading about them, looking at your photos and following on Google Maps.
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and I enjoy your company too! Thanks for coming for a stroll. 🙂
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Icy, Mel? Icy!!!!! Now, would I trade that for 35C? Just possibly but it’s cooler today so I’ll soldier on. I just love those floating clouds.
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and how quickly it has all changed!? We are still in Winter and now enjoying temperatures of 21C! Spring has come very early this year.
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What a fantastic and adventurous opportunity to connect with nature while exploring this track through the Blue Mountains National Park. I very much love reading about your hiking adventures especially as all of them are set in such beautiful locations. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Thanks Aiva. These sorts of paths are good for the soul!
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🥰🥰🥰
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How fun to read about a place I just was with views I just enjoyed! And to top it all off, our shared readers will get a two-fer of the area, because on Friday I’m publishing my post about the Blue Mountains!
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I am adopting the word two-fer 🙂
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We can share it. 🙂
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that works for me! 🙂
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I was thinking of you as I wrote this post as I did this walk just before you popped into Mudgee. I hope it brought back some happy memories and, as always, I look forward to reading your words.
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It did!
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Great photos of the rugged cliffs above a sea of clouds. Looks like a great new hike, hopefully it gets repaired soon. Also nice to stay over night but not to have to drag a tent and gear with you. Maggie
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Sorry Maggie – for some reason the system is treating your comments as spam! How rude! 🙂 And Yes, the opportunity to crawl into a warm and dry bed is definitely a huge bonus! 🙂
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That is rude, I’m a real person 😊
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And damn me, if it hasn’t done it again!! It’s very strange as your posts come through fine. Ahh, technology…
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Oh, I love the Blue Mountains. I only walked a little way between Echo lookout point and Scenic railway, but I have not forgotten the steps! Love your above the clouds photos.
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I like that you know what I am rabbiting on about! I hope it brought back some happy memories and I suspect this path is going to increase visitation to this area even more.
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Look at those views!!! I love it when you’re high enough to see the clouds on top of mountains – beautiful 🙂
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I must find out how high the Blue Mountains actually are. I doubt they are anything near your average mountains, but I am glad I scored a day when the weather trapped the fog in the valleys and shifted it about as the temperatures and breezes changed.
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A beautiful cloud inversion ☁️
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It was a stunning couple of days weather-wise.
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Love the fog-filled valleys and all the waterfalls. 😍
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It’s a very pretty and compact walk. I think you would enjoy it.
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Just have to get to Oz first. 😉
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Easy peasy! 🙂
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Great cloud inversion! Pity about the rain but I suppose it showed where the vulnerable points of the walk were early on.
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I like the positive spin you put on things, Jim! 🙂 I am heading back to do this walk again in a couple of weeks and I am hoping some repairs will have been made in the intervening months.
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There’s a lot of beauty to be seen and experienced on this trail. Thanks for the tour.
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My pleasure. Not quite Philly, but a different kind of beauty. 🙂
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I can see why you waited impatiently to go on this hiking trip – it’s lovely! Stunning views of the thick fog clouds and the beautiful waterfalls. A boardwalk is usually nice to walk on, but when it’s wet, it’s a bugger … ask me, I have experienced that in the woods on a rainy day!
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This boardwalk was covered in frost! It made for pretty but careful stepping! Thanks for coming along for the stroll.
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What a spectacularly beautiful trail! Your photos of the waterfalls and fog-filled valleys are stunning.
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It is a spectacular part of Aus, that is for sure!
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Beautiful hike, but I can’t lie, this freaked me out. LOL Bities: This area would be prime snake country in summertime.
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Unfortunately that comment would apply to most of Australia! 🙂 Having said that, we didn’t see one snake last Summer around our place. I am sure they were there, but just hiding. 🙂 We’ll see whether this early warm weather will bring them out again…
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😩🤣
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Hi Mel, I was just doing some website admin and noticed you had e mailed on the contact form a couple of times. Sorry for not getting back to you, I don’t check that regularly. And hopefully you can now comment on my posts and not get an error message 😀 WordPress seems to have a life of its own sometimes
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I’m hearin’ ya! Technology is great when it works, but when it doesn’t….
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The cloud-covered valleys are mystical.
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Yep, a very special day to be out walking. Thanks
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Great! This is now on my to-do list. Thanks for sharing it and the links.
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It’s a gorgeous trail, but very hard on the calves! 🙂
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